1 in 10 babies born in Danville, KY is born addicted. [View all]

[MelissaB]

DANVILLE, Ky. (WKYT) - For every 10 babies born at Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center, one baby is born addicted to drugs.

Stephanie Kilby, who manages labor and delivery and the baby nurseries at Ephraim McDowell, said nursery staff started noticing the increase in neonatal abstinence syndrome — infants newborn withdrawal — a couple of years ago. "We realized that we could possibly treat the babies here instead of sending them to (University of Kentucky Hospital)," Kilby said.

...snip

Last summer, WKYT visited the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at UK Children's Hospital. At any given time, nurses there said about 25 percent of the babies in the NICU are withdrawing from opiates. Dr. Henrietta Bada said the incidence of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome in Kentucky has increased almost 20-fold from the year 2000 to 2013.

Health officials say the increase at Ephraim McDowell is yet the latest example of a growing problem that needs to be addressed.

Link with video: http://www.wkyt.com/home/headlines/WKYT-Investigates--Addicted-babies-hospital-makes-special-nursery-for-growing-problem-293738981.html